should be collected in the fall as soon as ripe and kept in a cool, dry 

 place over winter. Prolonged soaking in cold water softens the pulp 

 so that the seed may be extracted. The seed germinates readily with- 

 out preliminary treatment of any kind. It should be sown in nur- 

 sery rows in rich, well-prepared soil. The seedlings will grow from 

 1 to 2 feet in height during the season and be ready to transplant to 

 the permanent situation the following spring. Osage-orange seed- 

 lings are cheap, and the planter who does not wish to raise his own 

 trees can get them at nurseries for $1 to $3 a thousand. 



PLANTING. 



Osage-orange trees should be set close to overcome the tendency 

 toward profuse branching and should not be more than 3 feet by 

 6 feet or 4 feet by 6 feet apart. The species is well adapted for 

 planting in mixture with intolerant species, such as black walnut, 

 black locust, honey locust, and green ash. 



CULTIVATION AND CARE. 



Cultivation should be given several times each year until the 

 ground is partly shaded or until the size of the trees prevents. 

 Weeds and grass should be kept out at all times. 



The roots of the Osage orange are wide spreading and are said to 

 draw considerable nourishment from the surface soil to the detriment 

 of adjacent field crops. This objectionable feature can largely be 

 eliminated by inclosing the plantation with a plowed strip four or 

 five furrows in width. This strip will also serve as an efficient fire 

 guard. 



If a plantation is accidentally burned over, the trees should be cut 

 back immediately to encourage a new sprout growth. If the trees 

 are left uncut the roots are likely to become weakened by disease, 

 which gains entrance through the dead wood. 



Since the trees rarely clear themselves of branches pruning is nec- 

 essary if first-class post timber is desired. Moreover, pruning stimu- 

 lates height growth. 



EXAMPLES. 



Probably the largest single plantation of Osage orange in the 

 United States is a 10-acre block at Farlington, Kans. The planta- 

 tion was established in 1878, and the trees set 4 feet apart each way. 

 Agents of the Forest Service examined this tract in 1900. The 

 trees had made a thrifty growth, and measurements disclosed the 

 fact that the stand contained 2,640 first-class and 2,772 second-class 

 fence posts per acre, worth, respectively, 12.5 and 7 cents each, or a 

 total acreage value of $524.04. The land could hardly have been 

 put to any other use that would have brought greater returns. 



[Cir. 90] 



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